Not Sure If Your Child Is Active Enough?
Take this quiz to find out.
How active is your child?
- As a family, do you take part in physical activities?
- Does your child watch less than 3 hours of television each day?
- Does your child do P.E. or some other form of physical activity at school each day?
- If able, does your child walk or cycle to school?
- Does your child play outside or participate in active play indoors?
- Is your child involved in an organized sport or recreational activities in his or her school or community?
- Is your child physically active for more than 3 hours each week?
If You Answered No
to many of these questions, your child may not be getting enough activity. Many kids aren’t getting the minimum recommended hour of physical activity they should have each day. Promoting physical fitness and good nutrition puts kids on a positive track for the future. Regular activity and a nutritious diet in childhood helps build healthy bones, improves strength and endurance, promotes healthy weight and may increase self-esteem. But where should you start? Developing a plan for your child is easier than you might think. We have come up with some simple principles to help get you started. - Personalise activities. Figure out which activities best suit your child’s personality and whether they would enjoy a team sport or an individual activity. Your child may have a preference towards team sports such as football, basketball or volleyball. Or perhaps, towards individual activities such as gymnastics, swimming or rollerblading.
- Exercise as a family. The best way to get kids moving is to lead by example. Spend one or two hours per week getting active with your kids.
- Focus on the food groups. Keeping kids moving is only half of the solution. The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, recommends servings from each of the five food groups to maintain a balanced diet. One way to be sure your child is getting a balanced diet is by packing a nutritional lunch box.
- Be positive and don’t nag. Bugging kids about watching less TV or spending less time with their computer usually doesn’t work. Instead, use positive reinforcement and encouragement to get them active. Try having an older sibling teach a younger child how to play a sport or an active game. Or perhaps, schedule outdoor meetings with your child’s friends. Be sure to give them a nutritional treat after they have played outside all afternoon.
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